Snitch: The Story of a Ferret
by Petite Neko Kitsune
Summary: "Sometimes the greatest truths live within lies, but despite these lies, the purity of the heart and it's intent is a force one can't deny." What if Harry had wanted to help Malfoy that day in sixth year? What if Draco's fear had made him cast the Cruciatus then flee for safety? What if an he made an unexpected friend that day that vowed to protect him? AU (On Hiatus)
1. The Prefect's Bathroom

* So... I had this idea while I was writing one of my essays and decided to run with it... I thought it was pretty cute in the end. I am planning on writing a few more chapters if anyone is interested in it. *

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Drip…drip…drip. The sound of the cold liquid hitting the hard stone floor echoed through the small confining bathroom. The room itself was rather quite large but the current aura it held made it feel ten times smaller than it was. A tall yet frail student was curled up in the corner, their head covered by the hood of their robes. The student, a boy of roughly sixteen, had his thin arms wrapped tightly around his shaking knees as he rocked himself in a soothing motion. A few sorrowful whimpers escaped from his dried and chapped lips as clear crystals slide down his pale face. Concerned words resounded in his head as emerald eyes danced within his mind. "_You don't have to fight alone…_"

Another whimper escaped the cloaked boy as more taunting thoughts flooded his corrupted brain. His usually pristine green robes soiled by the leaking water around him. "_I'll protect you…_" A tidal wave of emotions smashed into him like his foot did with the Gryffindor's face on the train. He was breaking, shattering into a million irreparable pieces and it frightened him. His pride and belief had led him down a path of destruction and doubt. Try as he might, he couldn't find any way out. There was no way to let go of this life or to find hope for those like himself. The sickly male had been marked by his 'lord'… no hope was left for him to cling to.

Then without warning that blasted raven-haired youth had confronted him in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom; he had said those tantalizing words that circled in an already delirious mind. Anything the shaking lad might have had, any ounce of hope, was crushed when his fear took hold and he cast the Cruciatus Curse. His mouth had muttered the incantation too quickly for his brain to stop which petrified him more than his soul shattering. Agonizing screams bounced in his ears as the curse hit its target and made the other male convulse in excruciating pain. Finally, after what had seemed like an eternity to the pale boy, the curse ended and with it the screams. It was then that the boy-who-lived started to plead with his attacker. "_Malfoy… please… don't do this… Draco…_"

He fled, Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin ice prince fled like the coward he believed himself to be. His blood had frozen when the chosen one had begged for Draco to let him help, let him save the blond from damnation. That thought alone terrified the sole Malfoy heir; after all, why would Potter want to save him, his rival and enemy since they had met? So, he ran, ran and hid in another bathroom, the prefect's bathroom. The frail boy's broken whisper was amplified by the silence surrounding him, threatening to destroy him. "I'm not worth it… not worth saving. I'm too far gone for even the boy-who-lived too help."

"Do you really believe that?" A soft voice asked. The pale boy jumped to his feet in fright, his hood cascading down his slim shoulders. Draco raised his wand, ready to cast one of the unforgivable curses on the unwanted intruder. He stopped himself at the sight before him. No human nor ghost stood in the room with him, just a small black ferret.

He rubbed his eyes furiously; he had to be hallucinating, the past was haunting him. The fact it was a ferret didn't faze him, though he did wonder how it got in the prefects bathroom. It hasn't surprised him ever since Professor Moody had transfigured him into the fluffy critter. Moody hadn't transfigured him at all; the crazed professor has simply induced his animagus form. Ever since that day in forth day, Draco could not only transform into the mini beast but also speak to them. The ability was much like Potter's own parseltongue, except there was no special language; it was more like telepathy. Malfoy hated his new talent in a way; yes it helped him escape unsafe conditions but now it was mostly true every time that red-haired weasel called him a twitchy ferret.

Whenever the boy was distressed, a furry friend would always be there, much to the other Slytherin's amusement. So in all honesty, finding this small dark creature wasn't such a shock in any possible way. No, the haunting part was the animals shining emerald eyes. Draco released a heavy sigh as he slid back down to the filthy floor. "Great, just what I wanted… a ferret that reminds me of him."

"I'm sorry if I startled you. Please call me Snitch." The familiar said calmly as he scampered over to the human's side. Without a worry the sleek rodent crawled onto the boy's lap and nudged his hand, hoping to sooth the panicked child. "If you don't mind me asking, who is him?"

Draco laughed softly at his companion's antics. "Snitch," he questioned briefly. Stroking the pets head was soothing his frayed nerves. "It's nothing, you just remind me of someone I want to avoid right now."

"Who?"

"I'm not sure if creatures know of him or not… his names Harry Potter. He's known as the boy-who-lived."

The ferret tilted his little head up to stare into sterling silver orbs. "If he's the boy-who-lived then why are you avoiding him?" The tiny animal asked curiously. Bright emerald inquired silently, many unanswered questions flashing in their connected gaze. "I could attack him if you want me to?"

Draco chuckled appreciatively. "No, he didn't do anything to deserve that." The boy quieted suddenly, the clear glaze of sorrow shining in his unfocused eyes. "I had never thought I'd say this but… I'm the one at fault this time." The boy's words dropped off into a whisper. His head was bowed low, platinum hair falling in his eyes. The small creature knew the child was in pain; something was crushing him from the inside. But what could the fluffy friend do; he was after all, just a ferret.

"What happened? Maybe I can help." He inquired with concern. Snitch wanted to protect his new companion; he could see the brokenness inside Draco. He couldn't save the boy if he didn't ask for help. The animal whimpered, "I don't like to see you upset."

Draco gave the mini beast a small, appreciative smile; the words warming his frozen heart. "Thank you Snitch…" he breathed out quietly, the unnecessarily large room swallowing his words. His overbearing stress slowly ebbed away to something much more bearable. The blond yawned; as his stress disappeared, exhaustion took a firm grip and threatened to bring him down. A startled gasp escaped the pale boy as the ball of black fluff climbed onto his shoulders. "What are you doing?"

"I believe it's time that you went to bed little one."

The boy snorted in irony. "I don't think your one to call me little." The amusement quickly faded from his glistening silver pools. "You'll stay with me… right?" Uncertainty and hesitation laced his quiet voice. The tiny ferret rubbed against the frail boy's cheek; one word echoing between their minds.

"Always..."

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* Let me know what you guys think... Was it good? Was it bad? Suggestions are welcome but I might not go in the direction you suggest.


	2. Gryffindor Tower

So, here is chapter two... Sorry if anything is out of place or misspelled. I don't own anything except the idea.

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The dorm was silent say for the slight breathing and snores of sleeping snakes. Several extravagant dark wood beds with black and green silk sheets lined the walls. The clatter of tiny claws hitting the stone floor echoed throughout the room. Snitch, a little black ferret with shocking emerald eyes glanced back at the pale boy whose bed he'd just left. With a wish of protection escaping his thoughts, he departed from the Slytherin dorms. The creature left the dungeon in a hurry, traveling higher into the castle.

He twitched as the unmistakable sound of paw steps followed him. The ferret was tackled to the ground not even a second later. "You are cutting it close; not only is Hermione worried about you but Mrs. Norris is lurking around." Breathing a sigh of relief, Snitch took in the sight of Crookshanks, a fluffy ginger cat with unsettling yellow eyes. The tabby let him up only to stiffen and pounce on him again. "Hurry, act in pain!"

"Were you talking to someone Crookshanks?" The smallest animal winced as the female cat's meow reached his ears. "Oh, don't tell me you were speaking to your food." Mrs. Norris asked in malicious delight. It was a widely known fact among Hogwarts students that the two felines disliked each.

"Mrs. Norris," the ginger growled in annoyance. "What are you doing here? Attacking owls?" his innocent seeming comment made her bristle with contained rage. "Or should I say being attacked?" He grinned as best as a cat could with sadistic glee lining his features.

The female hissed indignantly, "Don't you ever bring that up again!" Her tail twitched behind her as the memory of owls resurfaced in her mind; a shudder trailing through her body. In an attempt to create a distraction from her own embarrassment, she lowered her eyes to the frightened ferret clutched in the male's paws. "I actually came here because I smelled a student." Her yellow eyes narrowed in suspicion at the odd pair. "A student out of bed after curfew; I don't suppose you'd know where they were?"

Crookshanks shrugged or at least a cat's equivalent of one. "Like I'd tell you if I did; however since I'm feeling generous, no I haven't seen anyone. All I've found is my midnight snack." He nudged Snitch in the side with his nose while keeping a firm gripe with his paws; a small whimper escaped the little black ball as a claw dig into his chest. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go eat with my owner away from creatures that smell like owl droppings." With that the male cat scooped up the little creature in his mouth and set off for Gryffindor Tower; flicking of his bushy tail and leaving his female companion flabbergasted at his dismissal.

It wasn't until after they had entered the tower through the Fat Lady's portrait that he put the ferret down. Snitch shook the saliva from his fur and declared his appreciation with relief. "Thank you Crookshanks, I owe you one." The feline just rolled his eyes and nodded toward the burgundy couches by the fireplace where two students sat whispering. Concern laced their voice as it carried over to the two animals by the entrance.

The ginger darted forward and leaped onto the lap of the girl whose hair was just as bushy as his fur. "Crookshanks!" She exclaimed in surprise. "Did you find him?" Hermione and her red-haired companion followed the chubby half-cat's gaze. "Harry!" she squeaked as soon as her eyes spotted the tiny Ferret. Gently yet quickly setting aside her own pet, she rushed to the black critter and knelt at his side. "Where have you been?! The last time we saw you was when you chased after Malfoy at dinner! We were so worried something bad had happened!"

Snitch blinked twice in bewilderment at the hyperventilating female and tilted his head to the side while making a nudging motion. Hermione rose to her feet and backed up slowly, almost afraid to let him out of her sight. Within the blink of an eye the not-quite-grown ferret was gone and a teenage boy with messy black hair and striking emerald eyes stood before the two. A scar in the shape of a lightning bolt hidden under his hair above his right eye. The girl hugged him tightly; he pat her back soothingly, quietly waiting to be released from her death grip. "Sorry I worried you guys. I had a few things to take care of."

Despite the girls opening mouth, it was Ron that spoke next; completely cutting her off. "Something concerning Malfoy right?" Harry nodded with hesitance, making his best friends sigh. "Harry, we already know you're watching Malfoy. We read the letter." The youngest tensed, a mix of fear and anger coursing through him. They had no right going through his personal belongings without permission. "Don't look at us like that! Crookshanks brought it down from your trunk! We're not mad that you decided to help. It was inevitable really, almost like fate."

Harry blinked again in confusion, his previous negativity faded away as Ron's conclusion floated in his mind. "Fate? What are you babbling on about?"

"Harry, you've been obsessed with Malfoy for years whether you realize it or not. Plus… well, he's a ferret… you're a ferret… it's kinda funny in a way."

The dark-haired boy scoffed; he's not obsessed, certainly not with Malfoy… okay, maybe he was a little bit. He sighed in defeat and rubbed his forehead, he was tired and didn't want to think about the broken boy down in Slytherin. Unwillingly, his thoughts did return to Draco, he was just too exhausted to stop them. The poor child was breaking apart at the seams. If he didn't ask for help soon… Well, Harry didn't want to think about what could happen. The chosen one sighed again. "Guys, I don't know what to do."

Hermione squeezed his arm affectionately, hoping to bring him comfort, "There's not much you can do right now Harry." She replied quietly. Being the brightest witch of her age had its perks but when given a fact you desperately want to change… Well, knowing you can't hurts. The bushy haired girl just wanted the war to be over and for everyone to be safe. She was even praying to Merlin that Malfoy would find his way and make in out intact. It was as obvious as day that Harry cared about the frail boy. Even if it wasn't a loving sort of caring and even if he wasn't ready to admit it, the raven-haired boy didn't want him to die.

"Yeah mate… The ferret will come around." In spite of being dubbed as clueless, even Ron realized the extent of the Malfoy heir's suffering and his best friends feelings on the subject. "I say we eat on it."

Two-thirds of the Golden Trio stared at him, chuckling softly. Ron always did think with his stomach more than his brain. Hermione smiled warmly, "perhaps we should sleep and see what tomorrow brings."

Harry looked between his two companions fondly. A small smile crossed his lips as he thought about their loyalty. "Alright… thanks guys… for everything."

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Was is good? Was it bad? Should I have gave up with chapter one? Did it move to fast? Comments and suggestions are always welcome. (Please don't be mean though...)


	3. Slytherin Dungeon

Wow, it's been awhile… Not as long as with my other story though… Maybe I should update that. Anyway, I'm glad that people enjoy my story. It's a wonderful feeling when your readers enjoy your work. So, just for future reference, Sixth year is going to be changed a little; maybe even a little of fifth year. When I started this, I hadn't finished the book so a couple events will be altered and shifted in time. It's an AU so it's to be expected to change a little right? Well, on to the story!

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The shuffle of students preparing for the day echoed throughout the dorm of green and silver. Curtains of soft silk hung around the bed frames; most had been pushed open and allowed the watery sunlight that entered through the lake hidden window to shine down upon their pillows. Only one remained closed; Draco Malfoy lay, still sleeping, on his bed with his black comforter wrapped tightly around his body. A rare blissful dream playing behind closed eyelids, the usual nightmares seemingly erased from existence. A few mumbled words escaped his pale pink lips as a tiny yet soft smile captured them in an almost loving embrace.

"Rise and shine Sleeping Beauty!" A startled squeak, which would be denied later, resonated from the bed as Draco jumped, wide awake and dripping wet. Liquid trickled down his face from his soaked hair as he glared hatefully at the darker skinned Italian grinning beside his bed. Blaise Zabini was, to all in Slytherin, an easy-going and playful sort of guy; he was the life of the party and could rival the Weasley twins in pranks. While most deemed him as wonderful person to be friends with, everyone knew that even his closest companions were not spared from rude wake up calls. He also had a bad tendency to flirt with everyone. "Mornin' love! It's another sunny Monday so up ya get!"

A low growl of absolute annoyance emanated from the blond, he had always hated when his precious sleep was interrupted but he just couldn't bring himself to hate his best friend for it. Blaise was one of the few Slytherin's to stay with him when this whole mess started, just because he wanted too. The snakes of Hogwarts weren't known for their ability to make friends, most were just allies in a cause or house acquaintances; but Draco's relationship to Blaise was as close to true friendship as one could get in the snake pit. With that thought in mind and one final, long sigh of defeat; he gathered his clothing and grooming necessities and silently slipped away to the bathroom.

"Was that really wise, Blaise?" The Italian turned curious orbs towards the only other current occupant of the sixth year boy's dorm. Theodore Nott stood by the door, leaning slightly against the frame. His arms were crossed over his chest and his favorite scarf was wrapped loosely around his neck. Theo's unamused and cold calculative eyes staring searing holes into Blaise's head had that been possible to do with a single gaze. "Draco rarely gets much sleep at all these days; a good night's sleep is even more scarce. He looks practically dead on his feet half the time, a stark contrast to how lively he used to be." He turned his now sorrowful gaze towards the bathroom, a frown gracing his visage. "Shouldn't we have let him sleep?"

The darker skinned male frowned as well as he focused his eyes on the door hiding his friend from view. "Probably… I didn't think of that…" He trailed off slowly, the faint sound of running water echoing between them. A serpent is always watching, calculating; both boys knew something had happened to the pale boy over the summer that was causing him to suffer. However, even constant watch didn't tell them anything new. It was obvious he was running off to the 'Room of Hidden Things' with Vince and Greg every chance he got but that knowledge only came with more unanswered questions. "Well, it's too late now to worry about the past." A glint of shiny silver caught his eye. "Wait, what the…" Without hesitation, Blaise dug out the silver object from Draco's damp and unmade bed. "A snake pendant? Think it's because he's a Slytherin?"

The necklace dangled from Blaise's outstretched hand as he showed his companion. The elegant silver serpent protectively encircled a cloudy white stone, a faint aura of strong magic wound tightly into its core. "Actually, a snake can represent many things," Theo mused, "It could portray anything from patience to guidance or rebirth." The paler of the two walked closer and gently grasped the ornamental end in his palm as he examined it closely. "I would say that this represents protection because of how it's wrapped around the moonstone. The moonstone itself represents intuition; it's used for developing love with a soul mate, preventing nightmares, and used to protect travelers." Looking up at his companion, Theo noticed the dumbfounded glance he was receiving, "What?"

"How the bloody hell did you know all that? How did you know it was moonstone?"

Theodore rolled his eyes and the easily impressed boy. "Unlike you, I actually read my textbooks. Most of what I just said can either be found in the potions or divination books." He used the momentarily silence to draw his wand and cast a few spells at the pendent to confirm the strong magic was not dangerous. "Whoever made this cast many strong protection and healing charms on it."

"Apparently, we aren't the only ones that want to keep Draco safe." It was this moment when the bathroom door creaked open and Draco reemerged from within. Both boys could easily agree that he looked better than he had in days. His skin was still very pale but not deathly, his hair looked fresh and soft like silk, and his eyes sparkled with life and mischief that hadn't been seen since fourth year. Blaise grinned shamelessly as he dropped his hand, letting Theo keep hold of the pendant. "Well, look at you. Slytherin's famous sexy ice prince is back in business!"

"Did the ice prince ever truly leave?" Draco smirked; for some reason even he couldn't explain, he felt amazing. It was like all his stress had disappeared and he no longer had to worry about his impossible task; it was like first year again. After all, first year was the only year he can remember not overly stressing about something for longer than a week. Sadly, most of his stress was because of Potter and his stupid luck, be it good or bad. Shaking the unpleasant image of the last time he'd seen Potter from his mind, he glanced suspiciously between his dorm mates. "So, what have you two been gossiping about while I was gone?"

Theo's smiled had mischief emanating from it; though he wasn't the type for petty pranks, he certainly knew when to use the right information to get under your skin. "Blaise found this gift in your bed and though it was shiny. What have I told you about leaving your toys lying around?" With that awkward declaration that had both boys stuttering in defense with cheeks as red as a Weasley's hair, Theo casually swiped his dusty blond hair out of his eyes and just watched.

"I did not think it was shiny! And I'd never touch another person's toys; Merlin knows where they've been!"

"T-that was only once damn it! And I had no idea what it was!"

Theodore chuckled softly at his two companions. He extended his hand towards Draco, showing the embarrassed teen the serpentine pendant. While to others it was obvious the boy needed a healthy dose of embarrassment every now and then, he generally didn't appreciate it. Plus, it helped to sidetrack his mind from the more unpleasant parts of life. Theo knew this playful banter between the three of them was what they all needed with the war on the horizon, but he also knew not to push it too far. If he did then Draco would just push himself farther away from everyone like he tried to do at the start of the school year. The pale blond's eyes widened slightly, gasping a breath that sounded suspiciously like 'Snitch'. He tried to subtly look around for his new black-furred friend but his effort was in vain. Snitch was nowhere to be seen and his dorm mates were more perceptive than he liked. "Your secret lover's already left, must have gone before we got up."

Draco paled at Blaise's calm accusation, just the thought of being in an intimate relationship with his ferret friend made him queasy. Sure, he liked his furry companion and appreciated his presence during his breakdown but he wasn't into bestiality. Though that did bring up the question, is it considered bestiality if both are ferrets? One would be an animagus but would that still count? Draco preferred not to think about such things that could lead to a whole other load of problems. "I don't have a lover." He stated with calm conviction, a dust of a blush covering his face and hinting at his new embarrassment. "Now, come on or we will miss breakfast." Draco huffed in annoyance to cover up any other thoughts he may have had concerning his gift.

He yanked the pendant from Theo's hand with more force than necessary, and stormed from the dorm and out the common room portrait without waiting to see if the other two followed (Which they did with a shrug and a shared grin). It wasn't until half way to the Great Hall that conversation sparked again. They had to stop once for Blaise to help get the pendant clasped securely around Draco's neck but otherwise it wasn't mentioned. Their chatter was fairly tame in comparison to earlier, mostly discussing the upcoming Hogsmead visit. Sentences like "I can't wait to stock up on sugar quills and chocolate frogs" echoed around them. Blaise loved to have sweets for a nice treat but usually stocked up on them for Draco. The boy loved sweets more than anything; having a plentiful bundle was a good idea if you wanted the ice prince to do something. The darker skinned boy however, generally just gave him the candy because he liked seeing the slightly younger's eyes light up in delight.

They continued their sweets talk until they reached the doors of the Great Hall were the Slytherin trio ran into the Hogwarts Golden Trio. For the longest moment, both groups just stared (or glared in some cases) at each other, waiting for the other to make a move. Shining silver met dim emerald, flashes of yesterday in the bathroom danced behind their eyes. Draco turned away, the memory of shame in what he'd done still fresh in his mind. He never wanted to seriously hurt anyone, even Potter. The though just made him feel like a monster. "Potter…"

"Malfoy…" The golden boy acknowledged, nodding his head in greeting but offering no emotion to show; no hate nor concern hide in his carefully blank and abnormally dim eyes. The tension was steadily building between the six students and it was a wonder that no one started throwing hexes. Blaise and Weasel certainly looked ready and eager for it. Surprisingly it was Potter that called off the glare match with his quiet words. "Come on guys, we'll miss breakfast." The raven-haired male's voice was strained; like he was holding something back or maybe it was like after exerting to much magical energy at once, Draco couldn't tell. He did notice the sun tanned boy had paled slightly and his eyes were lacking their usual spark of fire. Before he could dissect any more from Potter's ragged appearance, the heroic trio of Gryffindors was herded through the door by said leader.

It was a couple seconds later before any of the Slytherin's found their voice at the strange encounter. "Well, that was weird." Blaise muttered uncomfortably, while he didn't hold a searing hatred towards the Gryffindors he still didn't like them, mostly because of their obvious hatred of Slytherins, especially Draco. He could handle people hating him but he drew the line at people being hostile towards his family. Draco may not be related by blood but he was still like the little brother Blaise never had and he had vowed to protect the blond because of it. Everyone knew Snakes had a hard time making true friends, even within their own house because they were always watching for what was best for them. If a snake managed to make a bond that deep then nothing was going to break them apart. Blaise turned curious and playfully glaring eyes towards the quiet ice prince. "What was that? We had the perfect opportunity to insult him and maybe hex Weasley's hair pink."

Blaise sighed and muttered under his breath quietly ("I'm never going to understand you") as Theo's silently calculating eyes drifted back to the frail boy between them. Something had happened concerning Potter that Draco was ashamed of; he could see it in their interactions. His gaze wondered toward the door again before he spoke. "Did Potter seem unnaturally exhausted to you?" his inquiry brought two confused and/or thoughtful gazes to him. The dusty blond could tell that their younger friend had something to do with the Golden Boys appearance and from the looks of it, it had been bad.

"Now that you mention it… yeah... Potter did look a bit worse than usual." The Italian crossed his arms in thought, all playfulness gone leaving only curiosity. They both caught the Malfoy heir's expression of guilt as he looked off to the side but neither wished to cause him any more stress than he already had. Blaise was the one to take pity on the near broken boy and wrapped his arm tightly around Draco's shoulders in a half hug and dragged him into the Great Hall. "Well, whatever happened isn't my concern. I'm ready for a big plate of bacon and eggs with a healthy helping of pumpkin juice."

Draco smiled appreciatively, his look of relief enough to stop any unwanted questions. Theo brushed his hair from his eyes as they sat across from Pansy and Daphne, his eyes drifted to the Gryffindor table. Calculating blue orbs met the suspicious brown eyes of Granger as she gazed back at him. A mutual nod of acknowledgement passed between them as Theo slide into the spot beside the Slytherin ice prince. Without looking over at his companion and instead focusing on his food, he quietly whispered. "If you ever need us, for anything at all, we are always here for you Draco."

He didn't need to look up to know he'd been heard. The boy's soft whisper of 'Thank you' was all he needed.

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Wow, I didn't realize how much I missed typing this up… I have several chapters written out in my hasty and awful hand writing but it takes a bit to transcribe it to the computer and fix it up so it actually sounds good. Since its summer and college is done, hopefully I'll get some more posted before fall. Anyway, hopefully anyone reading this likes it… I'm trying my best to follow my idea and not make everyone too OOC… I think I'm failing with that though.


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